Citizendia
Your Ad Here

This article is about the mountain range in South America. For other uses, see Andes (disambiguation).
Andes (Quechua: Anti(s/kuna))
Range
none The Andes between Chile and Argentina
The Andes between Chile and Argentina
Countries Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
Cities Bogotá, La Paz, Santiago, Quito, Cusco
Highest point Aconcagua
 - location Argentina
 - elevation 6,962 m (22,841 ft)
 - coordinates 32°39′10″S 70°0′40″W / -32.65278, -70.01111
Length 7,000 km (4,350 mi)
Width 500 km (311 mi)

The Andes form the world's longest exposed mountain range. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Anti Suyu is the eastern part of the Inca Empire which bordered with modern-day Upper Amazon region where the Anti inhabited Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Bogotá —officially named Bogotá DC (DC for " Distrito Capital " which means "Capital District" formerly called Santa Fe de Bogotá Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago Quito, officially San Francisco de Quito, is the Capital of Ecuador in northwestern South America. ||} Cusco (also spelled Cuzco, and in the local Quechua language as Qusqu 'qos Cerro Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas, and the highest mountain outside Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys [1] They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a It is over 7,000 km (4,400 miles) long, 500 km (300 miles) wide in some parts (widest between 18° to 20°S latitude), and of an average height of about 4,000 m (13,000 ft).

The Andean range is composed principally of two great ranges, the Cordillera Oriental and the Cordillera Occidental, often separated by a deep intermediate depression, in which arise other chains of minor importance, the chief of which is Chile's Cordillera de la Costa. Depression in Geology is a Landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The Chilean Coast Range (Cordillera de la Costa is a mountain range that runs southward parallel with the Andean Mountains, from the Morro de Arica to the Taitao Other small chains arise on the sides of the great chains. The Cordillera de la Costa starts from the southern extremity of the continent and runs in a northerly direction, parallel with the coast, being broken up at its beginning into a number of islands and afterwards forming the western boundary of the great central valley of Chile. To the north this coastal chain continues in small ridges or isolated hills along the Pacific Ocean as far as Venezuela, always leaving the same valley more or less visible to the west of the Western Great Chain. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the The mountains extend over seven countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, some of which are known as Andean States. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the The Andean States are nations in South America that contain portions of&mdashor border&mdashthe Andes Mountain range.

The Andes mountain range is the highest mountain range outside Asia. The highest peak, Aconcagua, rises to 6,962 m (22,841 ft) above sea level. Cerro Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas, and the highest mountain outside Asia. The term above mean sea level ( AMSL) refers to the Elevation (on the ground or Altitude (in the Air) of any object relative to the The summit of Mount Chimborazo in the Ecuadorean Andes is the point on the Earth's surface most distant from its center, because of the equatorial bulge. The inactive Stratovolcano Chimborazo (tʃimboˈraso is Ecuador's highest summit An equatorial bulge is a bulge which a planet may have around its Equator, distorting it into an Oblate spheroid.

Contents

Name

There are many theories about the etymology of the name Andes. Some believe Andes derives from the Quechua word anti, which means "high crest". Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Some believe Andes derives from one of the four regions of the Inca empire, or Anti(s). Anti Suyu is the eastern part of the Inca Empire which bordered with modern-day Upper Amazon region where the Anti inhabited Some believe Andes derives from the Spanish word andén which means terrace in reference to the cultivation terraces used by the Incas and other related peoples. In Agriculture, a terrace is a leveled section of a Hilly cultivated area designed as a method of Soil conservation to slow or prevent the rapid Some believe Andes is Old Spanish shorthand for "Andenes" or "Andenerías". The Spanish language developed from Vulgar Latin, with loan-words from Basque in the north and Arabic in the southern part of the Iberian

Physical features

The Andes can be divided into three sections: the Southern Andes in Argentina and Chile; the Central Andes, including the Chilean and Peruvian cordilleras and parts of Bolivia; and the northern section in Venezuela, Colombia, and northern Ecuador consisting of two parallel ranges, the Cordillera Occidental and the Cordillera Oriental. In Colombia, north to the border with Ecuador, the Andes split in three parallel ranges, western, central and eastern. (cordillera occidental, central y oriental). The eastern range is the only one that extends to Venezuela. The term cordillera comes from the Spanish word meaning 'rope'. The Andes range is approximately 200–300 km (125–190 mi) wide throughout its length, except in the Bolivian flexure where it is 640 km (398 mi) wide. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The islands of Aruba,Bonaire, and Curaçao, which lie in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela, represent the submerged peaks of the extreme northern edge of the Andes range. Aruba is a -long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, north of the Paraguaná Peninsula, Falcón State, Venezuela The Island Territory of Bonaire ( Dutch: Eilandgebied Bonaire, Papiamento: Teritorio Insular di Boneiru) is one of five island areas Curaçao (ˈkjuːrəsaʊ in English Dutch: Curaçao, Papiamento: Kòrsou) is an Island in the southern Caribbean Sea,

Geology

Rift valley near Quilotoa, Ecuador.
Rift valley near Quilotoa, Ecuador. A rift valley is a linear-shaped lowland between highlands or mountain ranges created by the action of a geologic Rift or fault. Quilotoa (key-low-TOE-ah is a water-filled Caldera and the westernmost Volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics.

The Andes fundamentally are the result of plate tectonics processes, caused by the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate. Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere In Geology, a subduction zone is an area on Earth where two tectonic plates meet and move towards one another with one sliding underneath the other The Nazca Plate, named after the Nazca region of southern Peru, is an oceanic Tectonic plate in the eastern Pacific Ocean basin off the west The South American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering the Continent of South America and extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The boundary between the two plates is marked by the Peru-Chile oceanic trench. The Peru-Chile Trench, also known as the Atacama Trench, is an Oceanic trench in the eastern Pacific Ocean, about 160 kilometers (100 mi off the coast

The formation of the Andes began in the Jurassic Period. The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Ma (million years ago to  Ma that is from the end of the Triassic to the beginning It was during the Cretaceous Period that the Andes began to take their present form, by the uplifting, faulting and folding of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks of the ancient cratons to the east. The Cretaceous (kriːˈteɪʃəs, usually abbreviated 'K' for its German translation "Kreide" is a geologic period and system, reaching from the end of In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement See also Folding The term fold is used in Geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces such as Sedimentary Sedimentary rock is one of the three main rock types (the others being igneous and Metamorphic rock) Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of an existing rock type the protolith, in a process called Metamorphism, which means "change A craton ( Greek kratos / κρἀτος ( neut. "strength" is an old and stable part of the Continental crust that has survived Tectonic forces along the subduction zone along the entire west coast of South America where the Nazca Plate and a part of the Antarctic Plate are sliding beneath the South American Plate continue to produce an ongoing orogenic event resulting in minor to major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to this day. In Geology, a subduction zone is an area on Earth where two tectonic plates meet and move towards one another with one sliding underneath the other The Nazca Plate, named after the Nazca region of southern Peru, is an oceanic Tectonic plate in the eastern Pacific Ocean basin off the west The Antarctic Plate is a Tectonic plate covering the Continent of Antarctica and extending outward under the surrounding Oceans The Antarctic The South American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering the Continent of South America and extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Orogeny (Greek for "mountain generating" is the process of natural Mountain building and may be studied as a tectonic structural event as a geographical event and In the extreme south a major transform fault separates Tierra del Fuego from the small Scotia Plate. A transform fault is a fault which runs along the boundary of a Tectonic plate. Tierra del Fuego ( Spanish for " Land of Fire " in English tiˈɛərə dɛl ˈfweɪgoʊ] Spanish ˈtjerað̞elˈfweɰo is an Archipelago The Scotia Plate is an oceanic Tectonic plate bordering the South American Plate on the north the South Sandwich Plate to the east and the Antarctic Across the 1,000 km (620 mi) wide Drake Passage lie the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula south of the Scotia Plate which appear to be a continuation of the Andes chain. The Drake Passage or Mar de Hoces -Sea of " Hoces "- is the body of water between the southern tip of South America at Cape Horn, The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica, and almost the only part of that continent that extends outside the Antarctic Circle

The Andes range has many active volcanoes, including Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. Cotopaxi is a Stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located about 75 kilometres (50 mi south of Quito, Ecuador, South America

Climate

The climate in the Andes varies greatly depending on location, altitude, and proximity to the sea. The southern section is rainy and cool, the central Andes are dry. The northern Andes are typically rainy and warm, with an average temperature of 18 °C (64 °F) in Colombia. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The climate is known to change drastically. Rainforests exist just miles away from the snow covered peak, Cotopaxi. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches The mountains have a large effect on the temperatures of nearby areas. The snow line depends on the location. The snow line is the point above which or poleward of which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year It is at between 4,500–4,800 m (14,800–15,800 ft) in the tropical Ecuadorian, Colombian, Venezuelan, and northern Peruvian Andes, rising to 4,800–5,200 m (15,800–17,060 ft) in the drier mountains of southern Peru south to northern Chile south to about 30°S, then descending to 4,500 m (14,760 ft) on Aconcagua at 32°S, 2,000 m (6,600 ft) at 40°S, 500 m (1,640 ft) at 50°S, and only 300 m (980 ft) in Tierra del Fuego at 55°S; from 50°S, several of the larger glaciers descend to sea level. Tierra del Fuego ( Spanish for " Land of Fire " in English tiˈɛərə dɛl ˈfweɪgoʊ] Spanish ˈtjerað̞elˈfweɰo is an Archipelago [2]

Fauna and flora

A male Andean Cock-of-the-rock, a species found in humid Andean forests
A male Andean Cock-of-the-rock, a species found in humid Andean forests

The Andes is very rich in fauna and flora. The Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Rupicola peruviana, is a medium-sized approximately 32cm (12½ in long Passerine with a large disk-like crest and scarlet or brilliant An estimated 30,000 species of vascular plants occur in the Andes, roughly half being endemic to the region, thereby surpassing the diversity of any other hotspot. Vascular plants (also known as tracheophytes or higher plants) are those Plants that have lignified tissues for conducting Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere A biodiversity hotspot is a Biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction [3] With almost 1000 species, of which roughly 2/3 are endemic to the region, the Andes is the most important region in the world for amphibians. Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and [3] For other major groups the numbers are equally impressive: Almost 600 species of mammals (13% endemic), more than 1,700 species of birds (c. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. 1/3 endemic), more than 600 species of reptiles (c. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers 45% endemic), and almost 400 species of fishes (c. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two 1/3 endemic). [3]

Tropical rainforests and rainforests used to encircle the northern Andes, but is now greatly diminished, especially in the Chocó and inter-Andean valleys of Colombia. Tropical rainforests are generally found near the Equator. They are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches Extending from Southern Panama to the North of Peru the Choco is one of the world’s great ecosystems and features habitats ranging from mangroves and moist rainforests to dry tropical The small tree Cinchona pubescens, a source of quinine which is used to treat malaria, is found widely in the Andes as far south as Bolivia. Cinchona pubescens is known for its bark's high quinine content- and has similar uses to Cinchona officinalis in the production of quinine most famously used for Quinine (ˈkwaɪnaɪn kwɪˈniːn ˈkwiːniːn is a natural white Crystalline Alkaloid having Antipyretic (fever-reducing antimalarial, Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including Other important crops that originated from the Andes are tobacco and potatoes. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae The high-altitude Polylepis forests and woodlands are found in the Andean areas of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Polylepis is a genus of trees and shrubs restricted to the Andes of South America. These trees, by locals referred to as Queñua, Yagual and other names, can be found at altitudes of 4,500 m (14,760 ft) above sea level. It remains unclear if the patchy distribution is natural, or the result of clearance which started during the Incan period. Regardless, in modern times the clearance has accelerated, and the trees are now considered to be highly endangered, with some believing that as little as 10% of the original woodland remains. The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also modern times) is the period of history that followed the Middle Ages between c An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation [4] A number of species such as the Royal Cinclodes and White-browed Tit-spinetail are associated with Polylepis, and consequently also threatened. The Royal Cinclodes ( Cinclodes aricomae) is a Passerine Bird which breeds in the Andes of south-east Peru and adjacent Bolivia UserPolbot. --> The White-browed Tit-spinetail ( Leptasthenura xenothorax) is a species of Bird in Threatened species are any species (including Animals Plants fungi, etc

The Vicuña and Guanaco can be found living in the Altiplano, while the closely related domesticated Llama and Alpaca are widely kept by locals as pack animals and for their meat and wool. The vicuña ( Vicugna vicugna) is one of two wild South American Camelids along with the Guanaco, which live in the high alpineous areas of the The guanaco ( Lama guanicoe) is a Camelid animal native to South America that stands between 107 and 122 centimeters (3 The Altiplano ( Spanish for high plain) where the Andes are at their widest is the most extensive area of High plateau on earth outside Domestication (from Latin domesticus) refers to the process whereby a Population of Animals The llama ( Lama glama) is a South American Camelid, widely used as a Pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes The Alpaca ( Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American Camelid. A pack animal is a Beast of burden used by Humans as means of Transporting materials by attaching them so their weight bears on the Animal In modern English usage meat most often refers to Animal tissue used as food mostly Skeletal muscle and associated Fat, but it may also refer Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species The nocturnal chinchillas, two threatened members of the rodent order, inhabits the Andes' alpine regions. Chinchillas are rabbit-sized Crepuscular Rodents native to the Andes mountains in South America. Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must The Andean Condor, the largest bird of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, occurs throughout a large part of the Andes, but generally in very low densities. The Andean Condor ( Vultur gryphus) is a species of South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West Other animals found in the relatively open habitats of the high Andes include the huemul, cougar, foxes in the genus Pseudalopex, and, for birds, certain species of Tinamous (notably members of the genus Nothoprocta), Andean Goose, Giant Coot, flamingos (mainly associated with hypersaline lakes), Lesser Rhea, Andean Flicker, Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, miners, sierra-finches and Diuca-finches. Hippocamelus is a Genus of Cervidae, the deer family It compromises two Endangered species, commonly known as huemuls or güemals The cougar ( Puma concolor) also puma, mountain lion, or panther, depending on region is a Mammal of the Felidae family Lycalopex is the Genus name for some South American members of the Canidae family The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of Bird, members of a South American Bird family of about 47 species in 9 genera Nothoprocta is a Genus of Birds belonging to the Tinamou family Tinamidae The Andean Goose, Chloephaga melanoptera, is a member of the Duck, Goose and Swan family Anatidae UserPolbot. -->The Giant Coot ( Fulica gigantea) is a species of Bird in the Rallidae family Flamingos or flamingoes ( are gregarious Wading birds in the Genus Phoenicopterus and family Salinity is the Saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of Water. Darwin's Rhea ( Rhea pennata) also known as the Lesser Rhea, is the smaller of the two extant species of rhea. UserPolbot. -->The Andean Flicker ( Colaptes rupicola) is a species of Bird in the Picidae UserPolbot. -->The Diademed Sandpiper-plover ( Phegornis mitchellii) is a species of Bird in the Geositta is a Genus of Passerine Birds in the ovenbird family Furnariidae Phrygilus is a Genus of mainly Andean seed-eating tanagers commonly known as sierra-finches Diuca is a Genus of andean seed-eating tanager s Species list White-winged Diuca-finch, Diuca speculifera The massive Lake Titicaca hosts several endemics, among them the highly endangered Titicaca Flightless Grebe and Titicaca Water Frog. Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Bolivia and Peru. "Centropelma" redirects here This was also also the initial preoccupied name of the Spider genus Nicodamus. Telmatobius culeus is referred to as the Titicaca Water Frog, and is only found in Lake Titicaca. A few species of hummingbirds, notably some hillstars, can be seen at altitudes above 4,000 m (13,100 ft), but far higher diversities can be found at lower altitudes, especially in the humid Andean forests ("cloud forests") growing on slopes in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and far north-western Argentina. Hummingbirds are Birds in the family Trochilidae, and are endemic to the Americas. UserPolbot. --> Oreotrochilus is a genus of Hummingbird in the Trochilidae family Species richness is the number of species in a given area It is represented in Equation form as S A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally Tropical or Subtropical evergreen Montane moist forest characterized by a These forest-types, which includes the Yungas and parts of the Chocó, are very rich in flora and fauna, although few large mammals exists, exceptions being the threatened Mountain Tapir, Spectacled Bear and Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey. Yungas is an area in the eastern piedmont of the Andes Mountains, primarily in Bolivia. The Mountain Tapir ( Tapirus pinchaque) is the smallest of the four Species of Tapir and is the only one to live outside of tropical Rainforests The Spectacled Bear ( Tremarctos ornatus) also known as the Andean Bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the closest The Yellow-tailed Woolly monkey, Oreonax flavicauda, is a New World Primate endemic to Peru. Birds of humid Andean forests include Mountain-Toucans, Quetzals and the Andean Cock-of-the-rock, while mixed species flocks dominated by tanagers and Furnariids commonly are seen - in contrast to several vocal, but typically cryptic, species of wrens, tapaculos and antpittas. UserPolbot. --> Andigena is a genus of Birds in the Ramphastidae family Quetzals are strikingly colored Birds of the Trogon family ( Trogonidae) found in tropical regions of the Americas. The Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Rupicola peruviana, is a medium-sized approximately 32cm (12½ in long Passerine with a large disk-like crest and scarlet or brilliant A mixed-species feeding flock, mixed-species foraging flock or mixed hunting party is a flock of Birds of different Species that The tanagers are a family, Thraupidae, of birds in the order Passeriformes. Ovenbirds or furnariids comprise a large family of small Suboscine Passerine Bird Species found in Central and In Ecology, crypsis is the ability of an organism to avoid observation The wrens are Passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. The tapaculos are a group of small Suboscine passeriform Birds with numerous species found mainly in South America and with the highest The Formicariidae, formicariids or ground antbirds are a family of smallish Passerine Birds of subtropical and tropical Central As a direct opposite of the humid Andean slopes are the relatively dry Andean slopes in most of western Peru, Chile and Argentina. Along with several Interandean Valles, they are typically dominated by deciduous woodland, shrub and/or xeric vegetation, reaching the extreme in the slopes near the virtually lifeless Atacama Desert. Dry valleys in the central Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, known as "valles" are marked by a Rain shadow effect of the surrounding Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including Atacama redirects here for the political-administrative region of Chile, see Atacama Region.

People

Map showing cultural influence in the Andes.
Map showing cultural influence in the Andes.

The Inca Empire developed in the northern Andes during the 1400s. The Inca Empire (or Inka Empire) was the largest empire in Pre-Columbian America. The Incas formed this civilization through imperialistic militarism as well as careful and meticulous governmental management. The government sponsored the construction of aqueducts and roads, some of which, like those created by the Romans, are still in existence today. An aqueduct is an artificial channel that is constructed to convey water from one location to another A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The aqueducts turned the previously scattered Incan tribe into the agricultural and eventually militaristic masters of the region.

Devastated by deadly European diseases to which they had no immunity, and by a terrible civil war, in 1532 the Incas were defeated by an alliance composed by tens of thousands allies from nations they had subjugated (huancas, chachapoyas, cañaris, etc) and a small army of 180 Spaniards led by Pizarro. Immunity is a material term that describes a state of having sufficient biological defenses to avoid Infection, Disease, or other unwanted biological invasion The Huancas or Wankas are a historic Quechua people living in what is presently the Junín region of Peru, in and around the Mantaro Valley The Chachapoyas, also called the Warriors of the Clouds, were an Andean people living in the Cloud forests of the Amazonas region of present-day Francisco Pizarro González 1st Marqués de los Atabillos (c 1471 or 1476 &ndash 26 June 1541 was a Spanish Conquistador, conqueror of the Incan Empire One of the few Inca cities the Spanish never found in their conquest was Machu Picchu, which lay hidden on a peak on the edge of the Andes where they descend to the Amazon. Machu Picchu (Machu Pikchu "Old Peak" 'mɑtʃu 'piktʃu is a Pre-Columbian Inca site located 2400 meters (7875 ft above sea level The main surviving languages of the Andean peoples are those of the Quechua and Aymara language families. Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Aymara ( Aymar aru) is an Aymaran language spoken by the Aymara people of the Andes.

Mountaineering/surveying

Woodbine Parish and Joseph Barclay Pentland surveyed a large part of the Bolivian Andes from 1826 to 1827. Sir Woodbine Parish KCH ( September 14, 1796, London — August 16, 1882, St Joseph Barclay Pentland (1797 - 1873 was an Irish Geographer, natural scientist, and traveller.

Transportation

Several major cities exist in the Andes, among them the capital of Colombia, Bogotá, the capital of Ecuador, Quito, the capital of Bolivia, La Paz, and the famous Peruvian city of Cusco. Bogotá —officially named Bogotá DC (DC for " Distrito Capital " which means "Capital District" formerly called Santa Fe de Bogotá Quito, officially San Francisco de Quito, is the Capital of Ecuador in northwestern South America. Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ||} Cusco (also spelled Cuzco, and in the local Quechua language as Qusqu 'qos These and most other cities are now connected with asphalted roads, while smaller town often are connected by dirt roads, which may require a 4x4 vehicle. Asphalt ( is a sticky black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude Petroleums and in some natural deposits sometimes termed asphaltum Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to Due to the arduous terrain, localities where vehicles are of little use remain. Locally, Llamas continue to play an important role as pack animals, but this use has generally diminished in modern times.

Agriculture

The ancient peoples of the Andes such as the Incas have practiced irrigation techniques for over 6,000 years. Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops Because of the mountain slopes, terracing has been a common practice. In Agriculture, a terrace is a leveled section of a Hilly cultivated area designed as a method of Soil conservation to slow or prevent the rapid Terracing, however, was only extensively employed after Incan imperial expansions to fuel their expanding realm. The potato holds a very important role as an internally consumed staple crop. The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Maize was also an important crop for these people. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica However, they were mainly used for the production of the culturally important chicha. Chicha is a term used in some regions of Latin America for several varieties of fermented beverages, particularly those derived from Maize, but which also Currently, tobacco, cotton and coffee are the main export crops. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp CoFFEE is an Open source Software for computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL in a digital classroom Coca, despite eradication programmes in some countries, remains an important crop for legal local use in a mildly stimulating herbal tea, and, both controversially and illegally, for the production of cocaine. Not to be confused with Cocoa. Coca is a Plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to north-western South America An herbal tea, tisane, or ptisan is an Herbal Infusion made from anything other than the leaves of the Tea bush ( Camellia Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant

Photograph of young Peruvian farmers sowing maize and beans.
Photograph of young Peruvian farmers sowing maize and beans.

Mining

Mining is quite prosperous in the Andes, with iron, gold, silver, tin and copper being the main production minerals.

Peaks

This list contains some of the major peaks in the Andes mountain range.

Argentina

See also List of mountains in Argentina

Aconcagua, Argentina

Cerro Tronador, Argentina

Border between Argentina and Chile

Torres del Paine, Chile

Llullaillaco, Chile/Argentina

Bolivia

Border between Bolivia and Chile

Licancabur, Bolivia/Chile

Parinacota

Chile

See also List of mountains in Chile

Santiago de Chile on the western slopes of a snowcapped Andes

View of Cuernos del Paine in Torres del Paine National Park

Colombia

Ecuador

Rift valley near Quilotoa, Ecuador. Santiago ( (litteraly in spanish Saint James) is the Capital of Chile, and the center of its largest Conurbation ( Greater Santiago Torres del Paine National Park is a Chilean National Park comprising mountains glaciers lakes and rivers Galeras ( Urcunina among the XVI century indigenous people is an active Stratovolcano in Colombia, near the city of Pasto. Nevado del Huila, at, is the highest volcano in Colombia, located in Huila Department. Nevado del Ruiz, also known as Mount Ruiz, is an Andean Stratovolcano in Caldas Department, Colombia. Ritacuba Blanco is the highest peak of Cordillera Oriental, in the Andes Mountains of Colombia. Antisana is a Stratovolcano of the northern Andes, in Ecuador. For other uses of Cayambe see Cayambe (disambiguation page Cayambe (or Volcán Cayambe) is the name of a Volcano The inactive Stratovolcano Chimborazo (tʃimboˈraso is Ecuador's highest summit Corazón ( Spanish: Heart) is a dormant eroded Stratovolcano of Ecuador. Cotopaxi is a Stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located about 75 kilometres (50 mi south of Quito, Ecuador, South America El Altar is an Extinct volcano on the western side of Sangay National Park in Ecuador, 170 km south of Quito. Illiniza is a Stratovolcano in Ecuador, located about 55 km southwest of Quito. Pichincha is an active Volcano in the country of Ecuador, whose capital Quito wraps around its eastern slopes Quilotoa (key-low-TOE-ah is a water-filled Caldera and the westernmost Volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. Reventador is an active Stratovolcano which lies in the eastern Andes of Ecuador. Sangay is a constantly active Stratovolcano in southeastern Ecuador. Tungurahua, (tʊŋɡʊˈrɑːwə ( Quichua tunguri (throat rahua (fire "Throat of Fire" is an active Stratovolcano Quilotoa (key-low-TOE-ah is a water-filled Caldera and the westernmost Volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics.

Chimborazo, Ecuador

Peru

Alpamayo, Peru

El Misti, Peru

Venezuela

Pico Bolívar, Venezuela

Pico Humboldt, Venezuela

References

  1. ^ Explanation: The world's longest mountain range of any type is the undersea Ocean ridge, with a total length of 80,000 km (49,700 mi). The inactive Stratovolcano Chimborazo (tʃimboˈraso is Ecuador's highest summit Alpamayo (Nevado Alpamayo is one of the most conspicuous peaks in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range of the Peruvian Andes. Artesonraju is a peak in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range a part of the Peruvian Andes known for some of the world's best climbing El Misti, also known as Guagua-Putina, is a dormant Stratovolcano located in southern Peru near the city of Arequipa. Huascarán or Nevado Huascarán is a Mountain in the province of Yungay - Cordillera Blanca, part of the Western Andes. Siula Grande is a Mountain in the Cordillera Huayhuash, in the Peruvian Andes. Yerupaja or Nevado Yerupaja is a Mountain of the Cordillera Huayhuash in north central Peru, part of the Andes. Alpamayo (Nevado Alpamayo is one of the most conspicuous peaks in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range of the Peruvian Andes. El Misti, also known as Guagua-Putina, is a dormant Stratovolcano located in southern Peru near the city of Arequipa. The Pico Bolívar is the highest mountain in Venezuela, at 4981 meters Pico Humboldt is Venezuela's second highest peak at 4940 metres above sea level The Pico Piedras Blancas (also known as Misamán at 4737 Meters above sea level, is the highest mountain of the Sierra de la Culata range in the Mérida State The Pico Bolívar is the highest mountain in Venezuela, at 4981 meters Pico Humboldt is Venezuela's second highest peak at 4940 metres above sea level A mid-ocean ridge or mid-oceanic ridge is an underwater Mountain range typically having a valley known as a Rift running along its axis formed by
  2. ^ Climate of the Andes. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city
  3. ^ a b c Tropical Andes - biodiversityhotspots. org
  4. ^ Plants of the Andes. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city

External links

Dictionary

Andes

-proper noun

  1. A mountain range in western South America.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic